


WTF, Bro?!

by Conflagration



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Characters I just made up because I felt like it, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Surprise! Sam has kids, The title is a place holder, haven’t really decided on one, may be angstier than the title suggest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:48:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23869282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Conflagration/pseuds/Conflagration
Summary: Sam invites Bucky to his Mom’s house after a mission goes wrong. But, Sam failed to inform him he has twins. Bucky is surprised, Sam is becoming worried.I am wondering what will happen next just as much as you. This is a work in progress, I have time to burn.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson, Sam Wilson (Marvel)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	1. Meet and Greet

They have been officially working together for over a year. And in that year, they have been on countless missions and stakeouts where they have deep introspective talks about their past traumas, their present concerns after the decimation, and their future plans. However, throughout their time together growing closer from these long talks Sam has never once mentioned he came back from the decimation to having a kid. Bucky knows the kid came after they disappeared. Even though he was running from Steve, he still cared enough to make sure he was around good people. He researched all of Steve’s new friends and never in his research did he uncover Sam had a kid. So, when Bucky finds himself on the front porch of Sam’s Mama’s house to a child running into Sam’s arm screaming daddy, Bucky is understandably shocked.

Sam lifting the child up into a hug turns to introduce him to Bucky who is frozen behind Sam. “Stephan, this is my partner Mr. Barnes.”

The child, Stephan, interjects “No, He’s the White Wolf.” He looks at him with a bashful smile.

Bucky hardly pays attention to Sam telling the child White Wolf is a code name and to call him Mr. Barnes, he is to busy cataloging every detail about the child. He notices Stephan has beautiful brown eyes similar to Sam’s own. He has a brilliant gapped toothed smile that resembles Sam. Although they have many similarities, Bucky can see the difference in the kid’s nose and head shape that he probably inherited from his mother. Bucky can’t confirm if they have similar hair texture, the boy has a head thick of tight coily/kinky hair, more similar to the King of Wakanda than Sam’s perpetually cropped hair.

  
“But I like the White Wolf.” Stephan whines and as Sam is putting him down, Bucky sees the child is wearing a White Wolf T-shirt. Bucky is happy the public perception around him is changing; he is mostly referred to as the White Wolf instead of the Winter Soldier. The use of his new and old moniker is based on the story of whatever news outlet is trying to create. It’s laughably predictable, he is the White Wolf as Steve Rogers’ childhood friend, a POW survivor, a victim of terrible brainwashing, a rehabilitated hero, who has a second chance and is integrating well into civil society and improving the world. But, as Sam’s partner, he is the Winter Soldier, a dangerous assassin, a boogie monster under the bed, a danger to civil society, and just another reason Sam is unfit to be Captain America. Bucky has told Sam countless times he did not need to work with him; if it would help improve Sam’s Captain America public perception he would be okay if Sam left him. Sam has told him each time he won’t let anybody decide who he should hang with and friends don’t abandon friends, an unspoken emotion shared between the both them ever since Steve choose to have a life in the past with Peggy. Sam’s unwillingness to leave Bucky a lone has led to this moment on Sam’s Mama’s front porch.

  
Stephan is dragging Sam into the house down the corridor to the living room, where Bucky can hear another child watching TV. Bucky picks up Sam’s bag that was unceremoniously forgotten on the porch, just as he was.

  
“Rye Bread, you just not going to say hi to your Dad”. Sam emphasizes Dad. Bucky himself wants to emphasize Dad, as he rounds the corner he sees a child strikingly similar to Stephan, except for the short cropped hair watching TV. It appears that Sam did not just have a kid, he had twins. Rye Bread, he assumes it is the child’s nickname, with an playfully exaggerated sigh heaves himself of the couch and runs over to hug Sam.

  
“Hiii Dad.” Rye Bread drawls, wiggling his head and rolling his eyes as he hugs Sam.

  
“Hiii Riley.” Sam mimics Rye Bread’s, Riley’s, tone and movements.

  
They turn to face him after their hug. “Rye this is-“

  
“ThE wHiTe WoLf” Riley states with his hand on his hips and bent over in a full body eye roll. Sam chuckles at the boy’s reaction, Bucky can’t help but chuckle too and be a little shocked, that is not a usual reaction he receives.

  
“I’m not the one who is obsessed with him” Riley nods toward Stephan who is hanging on to Sam’s left leg, smiling up at Bucky with admiration.

  
Riley continues “My favorite hero is Captain America.” He says sickeningly sweet as he smiles up at his Dad. Stephan snaps out of his reverie, sucks his teeth and retorts that Riley is just sucking up to Dad. The boys gibe each other further; Sam leads Bucky into the kitchen by placing his hand on Bucky’s back. Bucky heart stutters at the warmth of Sam’s hand on him; the hand is too low for a basic buddy position, but too high to be seen as sexual. Over the years him and Sam have grown closer, especially the last year the countless missions together, the long nights huddled, basically cuddling, for warmth he thought they made a deeper connection beside the basic friendly partners. But just finding out about the twins, makes him feel they are not as close as he thought they were.

  
In the kitchen is Sam’s mom, Darlene Wilson, Bucky knows who she is because there are pictures of her in Sam’s old house and he has shown him pictures of her himself. She must have not been as confidential as the twins were. Bucky scolds himself for sounding so bitter, he is being introduced to the twins now and has been welcomed into Mrs. Wilson’s home. Sam could have left Bucky on his own to find a place to lay low but he invited him to stay with him and his mom... and his kids. The last mission hit very close to home, it damaged their shared house and reputation. The mission included a rising alt-right regime, a local police force, a US senator, brainwashing and a viral video; neither Sam nor him were very tactful in their executions. Nick and Maria advised both of them to lay low while they with their new covert team work on PR control, which meant the two of them will be staying at Mrs. Wilson’s house for the foreseeable future.

  
“Mama” Sam shouts “it’s so good to see you!” Rounding the counter to hug his mother.

  
“It’s good to see my Sammy-baby!”

  
The two rock back and forth before breaking apart to turn to him. Sam has a good couple of inches on Mrs. Wilson, comfortably rest his arm on Mrs. Wilson’s shoulder. The smile on Mrs. Wilson face matches the twins’ and Sam’s, the genes are strong.

  
“Mom, this is Barnes. Barnes this is my beautiful mother Mrs. Darlene Wilson.”

  
“Bucky!” She says with expectant open arms. “It is so nice to finally put a face to the name,” He goes to her and let himself be rocked like Sam was. “Sam and Steve talk about you all the time.”

  
He has no time to dwell on what Mrs. Wilson just said, as Sam barks out a laugh. "You already had a face for the name! You remember that book report on him you had me write over 50 times. And mind you...” he turn to face the boys who had come in after Sam’s loud laugh “this was before computers! I was writing that over and over again by hand."

  
“That number gets higher every time you tell the story.”

  
The boys jaw drop at the thought of writing and editing reports by hand. “Wow you’re old!”  
  
“If you’re Dad here is old, what does that make me?” Mrs Wilson says placing her hand on her hip in faux admonishment.

  
“Better yet, what does that make this old man here?” Sam chortles at another of his corny old man jokes.

  
His desire to be a significant part of Sam’s life has grown everyday, but as he watches Sam easily laugh and interact with his Mom and kids, Bucky knows he can never be that. Like Sam joked he is old, he’s a man out of time, form the forties. He has missed so many pop culture and historical events, he was probably the cause of some of the infamous historical events being as he is a ex-hydra assassin. As if these differences were not enough, the easily observable difference of his pale skin tone to theirs separates him more.

  
But Bucky, was too deep in his emotional spiral, he fails to notice that two out of the four Wilsons are smiling at him. One smiles with infatuation; the other smiles with content happy to introduce him to a significant part of his life.


	2. Pancakes Anyone

Sam noticed Barnes has become distant over the first week at his Mom’s place. He knows he sprung the fact he has kids onto him, but he thought they were in a good point in their relationship. The past years without Steve, Barnes and him have deepen their friendship. Even though their relationship has evolved, he always felt his time with Barnes was ephemeral. 

Sam felt as if Barnes would leave him once he became adjusted to the modern world. Like Barnes is to him, he is to Barnes, the other best friend to his best friend. But as the days go by he sees how Barnes has acclimated and adjusted to the modern era. Barnes has made his own friends and connections without his help; he could very much live and do well on his own. Truthfully, Barnes may be better off without the baggage of Sam's Captain America.

His uncertainty of Barnes loyalty and willingness to be all in was cleared this last mission. A cold night, both bruised and beaten and in desperate need of medical attention, words were exchanged. Both in the past has said many different iterations of “I love you” but never those words exactly. But, that night in the cold abandon gas station, Barnes said the exact phrase and the conviction behind the words was deeper than friends. Or at least that is what Sam thinks he heard, he had a bullet wound and blood loss and someone shot him with tranquilizer.

However, Sam is certainhe heard correctly, even in his delirium, but his insecurity is getting the best of him. The more time they spend at his Mom’s house and the more he sees James’ face scrunch up when he interacts with his sons, makes him think Barnes is not in fact all in. Why would Barnes want to stay, the news site keep saying Sam is a bad leader and is under qualified. Their go-to reason is he’s not a super soldier, he does not have the strength or speed like Steve or James, and they are correct. So why would Barnes stay and follow the lead of someone he can easily overpower. He would not have to worry about Steve bleeding out in a gas station because Steve would have been fast enough to get out of the way, better yet Steve would have had the strength to knock the gun out of the goons hand before they even get the drop on him. Sam conveniently ignores the nights he waited by Steve’s bedside and watched him bleed out.

Sam knows Barnes already sees him as weak and is only made weaker by having kids. Kids can cloud your judgement, be used as pawns to exploit your weakness. He sees it in the face Barnes make whenever he tries to include him in family activities. Like now, he had asked Barnes to join them in breakfast.

“Uh, no I have t-“

“Oh please Mr. Barnes you can sit by me.” Stephan says with big pleading eyes.

The grimace on Barnes face deepens infinitesimally before he gives the bashful smile his younger fans cause. “Let me clean up a little.” He turns to run up the stairs.

Sam's smiles, some of the despair dissipates, he is happy Barnes has just as hard a time saying no to his son as he does. Stephan turns back to his plate and begins clapping his hands, excitedly "He's eating breakfast with us!" Riley already over the novelty of the White Wolf rolls his eyes at his brother.

"You keep doing that yours eyes will get stuck in the back of your head." Sam playfully chastises.

Riley rolls his eyes again. "Boy." Sam scolds as Riley laughs. Sam can’t help but laugh as well.

Barnes comes back down stairs in a fresh white t-shirt and grey sweatpants, his outfit matches the vibe of the other’s in the kitchen. But, Sam is feeling a little hot and it is not because of the stove.

Stephan made sure the stool beside him was left open for Barnes, going as far as kicking his Grandma out of the seat. Steph was lucky that his Grandma laughed it off because Sam was close to punishing him and taking away his iPad privileges. Barnes takes the open seat with the large stack of pancakes, blueberries on top, that Sam has made for him. Barnes smiles at Sam in the way that melts his heart every-time, “Thanks Wilson.”

“No problem.” Sam smiles back. They stare at each other a little too long, his mom clears her throat and ask Barnes hows he is adjusting to staying at her abode. The proceeding conversation is stiff and jilted. Sam warned his mom that Barnes is not as open with people as she is used too. She is very understanding and patient because Sam was like that after being discharged because of Riley’s death. But, he knows Barnes struggles talking with new people, however he has seen Barnes do much better with people that aren’t his mom.

While the grown ups talk, Stephan decides Barnes is not sitting close enough to him. He hops of his stool and moves his chair closer to Barnes. Sam is about to tell Stephan to stop when Barnes reaches out to help the child pull the stool closer and stabilizes it so he can easily climb up. Steph anxiously waits besides Barnes’ vibranium arm for the grown folks to finish talking. As he waits he traces the gold pattern of the arm and Barnes allows it.

Sam has seen Barnes adjust to having kids think his arm is cool and liking to touch it. Barnes will allow kids to hang from his arm in pictures and sometimes trace the pattern but he would always look uncomfortable like he wanted to tell the kid to stop. But here as Steph traces and manhandles the arm its like it barely registers to Barnes. Small interactions like this further confuses Sam on how Barnes really feel. Sometimes it is like he can’t get away fast enough from the kids and other times they crawl all over him and invade his space and he lets them, it even looks like he is enjoying himself.

Sam wants to talk to Barnes, to know how he truly feels. If they were to talk and truly express their feelings, Barnes will have to not only commit to Sam but to his kids as well and Sam does not want to put that burden on Barnes. Talking would make their relationship too serious, pushing Barnes to leave.

Sam turns from washing the dishes in time to see Steph stick his finger in Barnes’ food.

“Steph!” Sam’s Mom shouts at her grandchild. “You know better Thant to stick your finger in someone else’s food.”

Stephan is trying to explain why he had his finger in the food but his Grandma is not having any of it. Sam can see both Riley and Barnes become uncomfortable as Steph continues to back talk his Grandma and get himself in more trouble. Sam is about to cut in when Barnes interjects “Mmm, I love the taste of fingers.” After taking a bite right where Steph’s finger was. This stops the argument between Steph and his Grandma and gets Riley to laugh and loosen up.

Sam’s Mom takes a deep sigh and cuts her eyes to her grandchild. “We are not done, boy” and leaves the kitchen.

"You're going to have to apologize to your Grandma later." Sam cuts whatever protest Steph had to say "No, I don't want to hear none of it. You have been rude to Grandma all morning... Rye, take your brother outside"

"But I don- "he cuts himself off upon seeing the glare Sam is giving him "come on Stephan" Riley huffs grabbing Steph's hand.

Barnes finally speaks once the backdoor closes. "I’m so sorry-"

"Its not your fault, he's been out of pocket this whole morning."

“Is he acting up because of me.”

“No, he-“

“ I can leave if I’m causing a strain.”

“No” Sam says quicker and more desperate than intended.

“I mean... you can if you want...” a sadness creeps into his voice he knows Barnes can hear. This is what he was worried about, why he waited so long to tell Barnes about the boys. Barnes is not ready to handle the pressure of having kids. And he shouldn’t have to be, these aren’t his kids, they are Sam’s. He has no loyalty to them.

Sam wants Barnes to stay, but does not want to pressure him into anything. “But” he stutters “You don’t need to leave. He gets like this every-time I come back.” He says solemnly.

Barnes gets up from his stool to stand before Sam, forcing Sam to look up into his eyes.

“Sam, I‘ll only leave if you tell me too.”

Sam believes there is a deeper meaning in Barnes words than the surface level context. But once again he fears he misheard, like the night in the gas station.


	3. They Must Be Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little background on Sam and the twin’s Mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Possible trigger, I talk about Barnes past as the winter soldier and how he had to target families. I don’t think it’s to graphic but you can skip to the first line break, if you don’t want to read about it.

**7 years ago - Middle of Nowhere, MI**

Sam, Steve and Nat are currently in the middle of nowhere, Michigan. One of the many small towns they have become acquainted with while chasing Bucky or being fugitives. The type of small town where getting a Taco Bell is big news. Natasha is off doing who knows what, everything she does is confidential, she could be trying to set up their next safe house or off getting her hair dyed. Sam and Steve were left behind at the motel and have just gotten off the phone with Barnes in Wakanda.

Sam both loves and hates these wellness calls to Barnes. He loves hearing Barnes gush about the Wakandan landscape and technology. Sam can only hope one day the king would invite him to see the nation, the little glimpses he gets from the background in video calls are breath taking. He also loves the banter that has grown between him and Barnes. Ever since the spider-kid webbed them up to the airport floor they have been more open with each other. At least, more open to joking with each other.

However, there are things Sam hates about the calls. Like, when Steve brings up childhood memories and old inside jokes. Sam sees when the jokes don’t land and Barnes tries to force himself to laugh. He sees Barnes struggle to remember and fail to cover up his memory lost; he sees Steve chastise himself for bringing up those memories. Sam hates those moments because the elephant in the room is stomping its feet and blowing its trunk, reminding all Barnes has had significant brain trauma.

But those slip-ups pale in comparison to the updates that Barnes sometimes give. These calls are in fact wellness checks and sometimes Barnes is not doing so well. Sometimes, Barnes’ therapy sessions bring up repressed memories that will unnerve him. Today, Barnes remembers a hit he made to a high ranking Hydra official who was defecting. The official had a government position and was a key witness in a trial that would expose how Hydra has been infiltrating many government organizations and agencies. Of course Hydra did not want that to happen and wanted to dissuade all other members thinking of defecting. They wanted to use the asset to burn the official alive and his family as well and make it look like an accident. Barnes remembers how one of the little girls escaped, how he chased her down, how she screamed, how he...how he held her body longer than necessary knowing this wasn’t right.

The story chills Sam to the core, he really wants to walk away while Barnes is in the middle of his story. But he doesn’t, Steve and him told Barnes on the first wellness call they wanted to hear all about his progress. They wanted him to be one hundred percent truthful with them, the good and the bad. Luckily for Sam, Barnes is done talking as well. He ends the call making a joke about how his goats need tending, Steve doesn’t laugh, Sam does to make the other feel better.

Sam stays in the cruddy hotel room with Steve, he try’s to make his friend feel better. But there is a limit on the help he can provide; he is Steve’s friend not his therapist. After trying his best to lighten his friend’s mood, he leaves to find a bar to drink himself out of his misery. He is still reeling from the story. Also, he wants some alone time away from Steve or Nat. Them being fugitives together means they are constantly around each other, he doesn’t blame Nat when she sneaks off without telling them.

  
(If you choose to skip you can begin reading here)

* * *

Sam is wallowing alone in the only bar in town. He doesn’t know how long he is sitting there and nursing his beer when he finally hears the bartender say “You looking for your friend? I don’t think he’s doing to well.”

He knows the bartender is talking about him, he’s surprisingly the only depressed bastard at the bar. He looks up expecting to see Nat or even Steve, if he was able to pull himself out of his melancholy, but he sees neither. All he sees a complete and total stranger, albeit a gorgeous stranger. She is in a yellow tank that absolutely glows against her dark skin tone, dark blue jeans that hug her just right, and mini braids with gold filigree that catches the light and haloes her face. Sam can’t help it but to laugh and laugh loudly enough for the bartender and stranger to hear. He knows why the bartender thought they were friends.

They both turn to Sam, the stranger rolls her eyes and is about to correct the bartender when Sam interjects “I’m doing better now that my _friend_ is here! Please get her whatever she wants, first round is on me!”

The stranger is drop dead gorgeous and the bartender unwittingly became the perfect wingman. Sam is not going to let this blessed opportunity to pass him by. She already seems over it but makes her way towards him. Sam guesses free drinks are free drinks, or maybe she has been dealing with microaggressions like this all week and needs a friend to talk to, seeing as the bartender has already established them as friends.

As she settles down in her seat, a look of recognition crosses her face. “It seems my _friend_ here is a fugitive.” It’s not accusatory but quite flirty.

“Now, what makes you think that?” Sam flirts back.

“I watch the news, Mr. Falcon. Aren’t all of Captain America’s little friends fugitives?”

Sam laughs at the way she says little friends. “Are you trying to besmirch the Captain’s good name?”

He continues “Also, Mr. Falcon was my father’s name. You can call me Sam.”

She laughs. “Well Sam, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Maddie.” She holds out her hand for a shake.

“Maddie” he stretches out her name a little “I should have known, since we are already _friends_.”

They laugh at that. The bartender finally comes back with Maddie’s drink, looking a little muffed after realizing his mistake. He goes unnoticed as both are to engrossed with each other. Sam is unusually chatty for a wanted fugitive, he is oddly trusting of Maddie, he almost feels drawn to her. If she were a honeypot or plant him and his whole family would be compromised. He reveals so much to her. He tells her about growing up in Louisiana and going off to college, he tells her about his mother and his sister Sarah, he even gets Maddie to follow Sarah on Instagram. As much as he gives, she gives right back. She tells him about her plan to be a vet, how she is going to school in Michigan, how this is just a pit stop, as she is driving to see her sister and niece in San Francisco. Sam learns a lot about Maddie before last call, they’ve been talking for hours both barely touched their drinks.

“I should go back to my motel. Stev-“

“Would you like to come back to my hotel?” She says in one breath.

He’s shocked by her forwardness, but does not want this night to end. It’s been a while since he connected with a normal person and had a normal conversation. He says yes to her offer. He doesn’t care if they go back to her room just to talk some more, its better than what is waiting for him back at his lonely motel room.

However, it is confirmed they will be doing more than just talking. On their way to her room, they stop at a gas station to buy condoms. Sam becomes a little weary of the condoms when he is eating a bag of chips he bought that taste old and stale; he checks the bag and sees it is way pass expiration. But as soon as he enters Maddie’s hotel room she jumps into his arms, and he forgets all about the stale chips and questionable condoms.

-

He wakes up the next morning with Maddie cuddle up to him and her hair in his mouth. Also, Steve is currently blowing up his phone. He told Steve last night that he would not be coming back to his motel room, so he shouldn’t be worried. Steve is not worried. He is rounding up the team because they need to head to Europe ASAP and find Wanda. The world needs saving. Again.

As he is getting dressed to leave, Maddie looks at him quizzically.

“Do you want my number?” She stutters.

Woah, Sam thought the night went well but it appears it went very well. She is giving him her number unprompted.

“Yeah” he says quickly, too quickly. But his enthusiasm seems to settle something within Maddie. She has the brightest megawatt smile he has ever seen. She grabs the pen and paper on the nightstand and writes down her number.

Upon receiving the piece of paper Sam notices Maddie’s loopy handwriting and a smiley face in the ‘a’.

“You promise to call, right?”

Sam smiles at her question. He leans over the bed to give her a chaste kiss goodbye. The kiss turns into two, and then three, and finally to her naked body pressed up against Sam. He does not want to leave, but he manages to pull himself away.

Smirking “Oh, I promise to call.” She giggles at his cocksure attitude.

But what Sam and half the universes will soon find out, they will all fail to keep their promises.


End file.
